Raikkonen Set For Monster Ford Switch

It appears that Kimi Raikkonen could join up with fellow World Rally Championship newcomer Ken Block in 2011. Finnish media reports say that the 2007 Formula 1 World Champion will switch from Citroen to Ford in 2011.

Ilta-Sinomatalso reports that the funding for the project will come from the United States, and that Raikkonen will also have the chance to drive in selected NASCAR events.

Raikkonen drove for the Citroen Junior Team for his first full WRC season in 2010, with backing from Austrian energy drink giant Red Bull. With Red Bull looking unlikely to extend that partnership, Raikkonen has been looking for other opportunities to remain in rallying in 2011.

Block has been driving a Ford Focus RS WRC in 2010, with backing from American energy drink firm Monster. Earlier in the year Block said that “Kimi would be a dream teammate”. However, he added that additional funding would be required to run a second car.

Raikkonen's hopes of remaining with Citroen were hit last week when it was announced that Dutch privateer Peter van Merksteijn Jr would be driving one of the French marque's DS3 WRCs in 2011. Citroen Racing boss Olivier Quesnel had previously insisted that only four DS3s would be competing in the 2011 season, with Petter Solberg believed to be the number one target.